Adelbert l



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A. L. THOMPSON. v TIGHTENER AND FASTBNBR FOR WIRES. No. 381,295. I 4Patented Apr; '17, 1888.

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. A. L. THOMPSON. TIGH-TENER AND FAST ENER FOR WIRES,

No. 381,295. Patent1edApr. 17, 1 888 UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

ADELBERT L. THOMPSON, or EAST AVON, NEW yon]:

TIGHTENER AND FASTENER FOR wiaEs.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 381,295, dated April1'7, 1888.

Application filed November 19,1887. SerialNo;255,647. (No modclJ T0 atwhom/iii, may concern.-

.Be it known that I, ADELBERT L'. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at East Avon, in the county of Livingston, in the Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tightenersand Fasteners for Wires, of which the following is a specification. p la I am not-aware that myinvention has been patented or used in anycountry. 7

My invention relates more particularly to an apparatus for tighteningwires when used for making fences or for trellises in vineyards, orother like purposes.

It is a well-known fact that wire fences, trellises, &c., are more orless subject to expansion and contraction by the elements,whichnvariably results in leaving the fence. in a.

loose and hanging condition, and that the weight of fruit upon thegrape-vines fre quently causes the wire to sag and loosen, so

as to huddle andcrowd' the fruit, to its great detriment. v a

The object of my invention is to obviate these difficulties, for by theuse of my invention the wires on a fence can be loosened in the fall andtightened again in the spring by a few moments labor, thus avoiding allbreaking of wires and all loosening of posts by the contraction andexpansion of the wires, and the wires on trellises can be tightenedwhile loalrlled with vines and fruit without injury to cit er. 1

I will now proceed to describe my inven tion, reference being had to theannexed drawings. r L

Like figures and letters represent like parts.

Figs. 1 and 2) by the bolt D, which is held in to near the center of thefence.

a V tsuch pivot is a small projection integral with j the washerand-sunk into the post A (see Fig.

2) to prevent displacement of the washer O.

On the inner face of the front plate, F,'and f slightly above the hollowcenter shaft, L, is

the projecting pin, stud, or bolt H. On the outer surface of the plateFis, the hollow projection F through which the bolt D passes,

its outer surface being square for the reception of a key,crank, orwrench.

The operation of my invention is as follows: In Fig. 51 have shown athree-wire fence having a tightenerfor eachwire secured to the postA.,It is intended thatthese tight eners remain permanently upon thepostr-one tightener for-each wire.- The wires are to be ,firmly fastenedto the end posts,which are securely braced, and to pass loosely througheyes or staples B on all intermediate posts, A A A", The tight: eners(corresponding in number with the number of wires used upon the fence)are per ma'nently bolted to one of the postsnear the:

center of the fence. I (The drawings represent but one-half the lengthof the fence.) When it is desired to tighten the wire, it is laidon thetop of the drum orhollow shaft L and un-- derthe pin, stud, or bolt H,as seen inFig. 3.

A key, crank, or wrench is applied to the i square projection F, and thewhole reel turned on the bolt D in the direction of the arrow,

thereby tightening the wire in both directions at the same time, as seenin Fig. 4,. and the wire is rigidly held in its tightened position bythe pawl G, which is loosely pivoted to the rigid washer O. p I am awarethat priorto my invention wire tighteners and fasteners have been made;but my invention is distinguished from themall" by being a tightenerconsistihg'of a hollow shaft, L, having a projecting square end, F, aratchet-plate, K, anda front plate, F, provided with the pin, bolt, orstud H, integral with each other and in combination with the providedwith the pin, bolt, or stud' H, intepost-bolt D, washer O; and pawl G.gral with each other, in combination with the What I claim as myinvention, for which I post-bolt I), washer O, and pawl G. desire tosecure Letters Patent, is* ADELBERT L. THOMPSON. 5 A tightener orfastener consisting of a hol- Witnesses:

10w shaft, L, having a projecting square end, F, a ratchet-plate, K, anda front plate, F,

Inns 0. STRONG, HENRY W. BRENDEL.

